Welcome to the Eastern Shore Virginia Master Gardeners

Are you interested in learning more about gardening and horticulture on the Eastern Shore? Do you long to grow vegetables or fruits but don’t know where to start? Or what types of plants grow well on the seaside? If you are among the many local residents who enjoy gardening but who want to learn more, the Eastern Shore Master Gardener program is for you.

Master Gardener volunteers receive 50 hours of intensive training in all areas of Eastern Shore horticulture, sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension. After completion of training, each Master Gardener volunteer educator selects from a wide variety of activities designed to provide the public with current, reliable information on Shore gardening and horticulture.

Learning, volunteering, and sharing your knowledge offer great personal rewards --join our group of men and women of all ages in these satisfying activities.

News and Updates

The Eastern Shore Master Gardener (ESVMG) Program is accepting applications for the 2015 Master Gardener training class. The classes will be held in Painter beginning January 14 and continue every Wednesday from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. until April 15. For more information and the application contact the Eastern Shore of Virginia Gardeners hotline at 678-7946 x29, 787-1361 (Accomack County), the web site www.easternshoremastergardeners.com, or e-mail esmgv@gmail.com. Fee is $100 for materials and lectures by local experts

Becoming a Master Gardener

The Master Gardener training program offers you the opportunity to benefit from a different expert each class day, plus field trips to enhance what you are learning. In addition, you meet a wonderful group of people with common interests. The training is offered once a year, usually one day a week, January through April..

After training is completed, the Master Gardener Intern completes 50 hours of volunteer service in approved projects. Click here to view a sample of our projects.

While the training is free, there is a charge of approximately $100, based on the cost to the Master Gardeners to pay for the comprehensive reference manual compiled by Virginia Tech University.

Annual Fund-Raising Activities

The Eastern Shore Master Gardener program is a non-profit organization and each year we hold two fund-raising activities.

Our fund-raising activities are plant sales: the Spring Yard Sale, and the Fall Exmore Yard Sale, both held annually.

The plants sold at these events are grown by Eastern Shore Master Gardeners or donated by local nurseries. Plants include native perennials, annuals, herbs, shrubs and trees. The plants are varieties that are easy to grow on the Shore and each plant has growing instructions included.